Biography
George Murphy was an American dancer and stage, screen, and television actor, as well as a United States Senator. Murphy was a song-and-dance leading man in many big-budget Hollywood musicals from 1930 to 1952. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946, and was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1951. Murphy served from 1965 to 1971 as U.S. Senator from California, the first notable U.S. actor to be elected to statewide office in California, predating Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is the only United States Senator represented by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In movies, Murphy was known as a song-and-dance man and appeared in many big-budget musicals such as Broadway Melody of 1938, Broadway Melody of 1940 and For Me and My Gal. He made his movie debut shortly after talking pictures had replaced silent movies in 1930, and his career continued until he retired as an actor in 1952, at the age of 50. During World War II, he organized entertainment for American troops. In 1951, he was awarded an honorary Academy Award. He was never nominated for an Oscar in any competitive category. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946. He was also a vice president of Desilu Productions and of the Technicolor Corporation. He was director of entertainment for presidential inaugurations in 1953, 1957 and 1961.
Acted in 51
1990s
- 1994
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1970s
- 1974
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1950s
- 1958
- 1957
- 1952
Walk East on Beacon
Inspector James 'Jim' Belden
Talk About a Stranger
Robert Fontaine Sr.
- 1951
It's a Big Country
Mr. Patrick Callaghan
1940s
- 1949
Border Incident
Jack Bearnes
- 1948
Big City
Patrick O'Donnell
Tenth Avenue Angel
Steve Abbutt
- 1947
Cynthia
Larry Bishop
The Arnelo Affair
Theodore 'Ted' Parkson
- 1946
Up Goes Maisie
Joseph Morton
- 1945
- 1944
Step Lively
Gordon Miller
Broadway Rhythm
Johnny Demming
Twenty Years After
(archive footage)
- 1943
This Is the Army
Jerry Jones
Bataan
Lt. Steve Bentley
The Powers Girl
Jerry Hendricks
- 1942
The Navy Comes Through
Lt. Thomas L. 'Tom' Sands
For Me and My Gal
Jimmy K. Metcalf
The Mayor of 44th Street
Joe Jonathan
- 1941
Rise and Shine
Jimmy McGonagle
Ringside Maisie
Francis X. 'Skeets' / 'Skeeter' Maguire
Tom, Dick and Harry
Tom
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
Claudius "Coffee Cup" Cup
- 1940
Little Nellie Kelly
Jerry Kelly
Public Deb No. 1
Alan Blake
Two Girls on Broadway
Eddie Kerns
Broadway Melody of 1940
King Shaw
1930s
- 1939
Risky Business
Dan Clifford
- 1938
Hold That Co-ed
Rusty Stevens
- 1937
You're a Sweetheart
Hal Adams
The Women Men Marry
Bill Raeburn
Broadway Melody of 1938
Sonny Ledford
London by Night
Michael Denis
Top of the Town
Ted Lane
- 1936
- 1935
The Public Menace
Edward Joseph "Red" Foster
After the Dance
Jerry Davis
I'll Love You Always
Carl Brent
- 1934
Jealousy
Larry O'Roarke
Other crew 1
1940s
- 1941
Appearances8
1990s
- 1997
Frank Capra's American Dream
Self (archive footage)
1960s
- 1962
1950s
- 1955
1940s
- 1943
Show-Business at War
Self
- 1940
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Self
1930s
- 1939
Rhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Conga
Himself (uncredited)
Hollywood Hobbies
Self (uncredited)
- 1936
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
Self